Twice Exceptional

About Twice Exceptional Students

Your gifted kid is considered exceptional. Children with learning disabilities are also considered to have exceptionalities. Can you have both? At the same time? You bet. And these kids, who are both gifted and have learning disabilities, are said to be "twice exceptional" or 2e.

Each public school child who receives special education and related services must have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). If your child has an IEP and has been identified for the Gifted/Talented program at his/her school, it is extremely beneficial to ask that the G/T resource teacher be included in the IEP meetings. You may find that the two departments have not often had the opportunity to learn what the other has to offer.

It's important for teachers to remember that your 2e child has need of both the Special Education department as well as the G/T department. Both aspects of your child's learning style are interwoven and can't be separated, so do your best to make educators aware of your child's dual exceptionalities.

   ~ Parent of a Twice Exceptional Student

See EPCGT review of Teresa Boatman’s talk, “Exploring the World of the Twice Exceptional Child,” originally published in EPCGT NEWS, April 2002.

Books

• Baum, Susan and Sally M. Reis, editors, Twice-Exceptional and Special Populations of Gifted Students (Essential Readings in Gifted Education), 2004.



• Chinn, Steve, Ph.D., Tools for the Times Tables, and workbook by Susan Jones, M.Ed., 1999.
  For students who are naturally verbal but challenged with concepts involving space and distance and need more concrete manipulation. (Can be purchased at Resource Room).



• Eide, Brock, M.D. & Fernette Brock, M.D., The Mislabeled Child: How Understanding Your Child's Unique Learning Style Can Open the Door to Success, 2006.



• Haddon, Mark, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, 2003.
  For grades 5 to adult. A fictional story about an autistic child who tries to solve a murder. See Book Review.



• Kay, Kiesa, ed., Uniquely Gifted: Identifying and Meeting the Needs of the Twice-Exceptional Student, 2000.



• Levine, Mel, Ph.D. and Jarvis Clutch, Jarvis Clutch – Social Spy, 2001.
  For grades 5-8. This fictional work about an 8th-grader and his observations on middle school life comes highly recommended by an EPCGT member with a twice-exceptional child who struggles with social situations.



• Lovecky, Deirdre V., Different Minds: Gifted Children with AD/HD, Asperger Syndrome, and Other Learning Deficits, 2004.



• Mooney, Jonathan and David Cole, Learning Outside the Lines: Two Ivy League Students with Learning Disabilities and ADHD Give You the Tools for Academic Success, 2000.



• Myles, Brenda Smith, et al., The Hidden Curriculum: Practical Solutions for Understanding Unstated Rules in Social Situations, 2004



• Neihart, Maureen, ed., et al., The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children: What Do We Know?, 2001.



• Palladino, Lucy Jo, ,Dreamers, Discoverers & Dynamos: How to Help the Child Who is Bright, Bored and Having Problems in School, 1999. See Book Review.



• Rimm, Sylvia, Why Bright Kids Get Poor Grades and What You Can Do About It, 1996.



• Silverman, Linda, ed., Counseling the Gifted and Talented, 1993.



• Smutny, Joan Franklin, Stand Up for Your Gifted Child: How to Make the Most of Kids’ Strengths at School and at Home, 2000.



• Webb, James T., et al, Misdiagnosis and Dual Diagnoses of Gifted Children and Adults: ADHD, Bipolar, OCD, Asperger’s, Depression, and Other Disorders, 2005.

Chat Night – MCGT

The Minnesota Council for the Gifted and Talented (MCGT) holds Chat Nights once a month for any members of MCGT (including EPCGT members) to get together for the purpose of sharing information on a specific topic. “Twice Exceptional” is generally one of the topics for the year. To find out about the specific topics for this year and details about where and when, see Chat Nights.

College and Post-Secondary Opportunities Fair for LD and AD/HD

Groves Academy, an independent co-educational day school for PreK-12th grade students with learning disabilities, is located in St. Louis Park. The Academy holds an annual Opportunities Fair for LD and AD/HD students. This is the only event of its kind in Minnesota and the 5-state area that is exclusively for this population of students. There are about 75 exhibitors (universities, colleges, trade schools, tutors, counselors, etc.). Students from public and private schools in the 5-state area are welcome to attend, along with family members, educators, and other professionals. The event is held in the fall. For more information, see the EPHS Career Resource Center or go to Groves Academy Newsletter.

List Serves

“GT World is an online support community for gifted and talented individuals and those who support and nurture them.” You will find a number of list serves (electronic mailing lists) here, including GT-Special, which is expressly for twice exceptional issues. You can join this list serve and post questions or answers or just read postings on topics such as advocacy, social issues, the IEP process, twice exceptional issues in adults, etc. To learn more and get signed up, go to: GT World.

Eden Prairie Special Kids is a parent-run, relationship-building group where parents of special needs children come together for mutual friendship, information sharing, networking, and support. The group does include some 2e parents as well as many parents of children with more involved needs. Key offerings include an invitation-only email yahoogroup and a monthly networking and support dinner. The group also co-sponsors parent coffees at each EP school. Membership is free. For more information or to request an invitation to the email group, contact moderator Deb Sweeney at (952) 975-0996 or debsweeney100@yahoo.com.

2e Newsletter

This newsletter is for parents, teachers and health professionals who help twice-exceptional children. It is published 6 times each year by professional writers and parents of 2e children. You will find articles on giftedness, learning differences and the combination of both; research results; profiles of people and organizations for and about 2e children; book reviews; conference reviews; etc. You can download a free newsletter and/or subscribe to a print or e-mail version at their website: 2e Newsletter.

Websites

Hoagies Gifted contains a huge array of resources for both gifted and 2e families.

The Learning Disabilities Association of America website is for parents and teachers of children with learning disabilities and also for adults with learning disabilities. Become an association member; follow legislative updates; take a 4-hour training course at your own pace on getting needed services for your child (free to association members); check out information on early childhood, special education, mental health, practical assistance for your child; math learning disabilities and more; purchase books, journals, or handbooks. There is a nice glossary of LD terms and acronyms.

Schwab Learning focuses on learning and attention difficulties. The site contains four main areas: identification of LDs, management of the issues that arise from LDs, connection with other parents, and resources.

Uniquely Gifted includes resources for Gifted Children with Special Needs (ADD/ADHD, Learning Disabilities (LD), Asperger Syndrome, etc.). These are compiled by Meredith G. Warshaw, M.S.S., M.A., Special Needs Educational Advisor for families with twice exceptional children and Contributing Editor for 2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter. Included are special sections for parents, professionals, and kids, as well as personal stories. There are many links, but you may find some to be out of date.

Wrights Law is the place to go to learn about special education law and advocacy for children with disabilities. Stop first at the Message for New Parents to get started understanding your rights and advocating for your child. Also contains a law library and advocate library areas, and a Yellow Pages for Kids with Disabilities, which is a listing of advocates, clinics, associations, and other special needs resources in each state.

Twice Gifted provides an overview of traits associated with twice exceptional children as well as information about the mental and emotional issues which may be unique to 2e individuals.

For many more valuable online resources on varied learning disabilities, see Twice Exceptional: An Online Resource Guide to 2E by Julie Shepherd Knapp. This article was originally published in the MCGT Outlook, the newsletter of the Minnesota Council for the Gifted and Talented, Vol. 29. No. 1, Sept./Oct. 2006.